In an attempt to organize all the Botanical Gardens, Arboreta and Public Gardens and Parks under a single umbrella – the Texas Association of Botanical Gardens was created in 1991. The individuals behind the formation of the organization were Paul Cox (retired from the San Antonio Botanical Garden), Henry Painter (Fort Worth Botanical Garden), Linda Gay (retired from the Mercer Arboretum, now at Arborgate) and Dave Creech (SFA Gardens). An agreement was reached that the TABGA would have no by-laws, no committees could be created, and there would be only one annual meeting per year – and the host for each annual meeting had to cover all the costs. Since those early days, annual meetings, usually in February, have been well attended – and provide Directors and staff the opportunity to get together, review the past year, and share in the joys and tribulations of gardening in Texas. Select nurserymen and landscapers often intend as invited guests. While not all of the gardens of Texas attend the annual conference, most do. The following list is a good starting point for those looking for a listing of the public gardens in Texas. If you find any problems with the list or descriptions, please contact Dr. Dave Creech at dcreech@sfasu.edu – who is semi-retired and cheerfully serves as the informal webmaster of this one web page Association. It’s what happens when an army of professionals keeps it simple.

Surrounded by native woodlands and tucked away down a country road between Weatherford and Mineral Wells, is Clark Gardens Botanical Park. Its story is one of hard work, dreams and the visions of Max and Billie Clark. What began as the Clark’s private garden in 1972 – a small personal endeavor of traditional landscaping on this rugged Texas hillside – is now a botanical masterpiece. Much of this world of tranquility – this unexpected treasure – was sparked by Billie Clark’s inspirations. In 1999, Max and Billie established the Max and Billie Clark Foundation and donated 143 acres, including the gardens, to this new non-profit organization. The gardens are an educational and scientific facility as well as a working model of beautiful, yet sustainable, landscapes. The native Texas and Texas adaptable plants the park exhibits are low maintenance and many are drought tolerant. On April 22, 2000, Clark Gardens opened its gates to the public and has been declared one of the most beautiful gardens in Texas. Visitors may take a photo journey of the making of Clark Gardens Botanical Park, and read more about its unique history when they visit the History House in the Park’s West Garden Area.

Weaving the mysterious elements of Chinese architecture into the elegance of a formal English garden, the 3.5-acre former estate of portraitist Douglas Chandor was designed & built to delight your heart and revive your senses. Each of the garden’s fifteen rooms will enchant you. From the 20 foot stone boulder waterfall to the formal bowling green to the mysterious dragon fountain, something wonderful awaits you around every bend.

The Dallas Arboretum is a sixty-six acre arboretum and botanical garden. It is devoted to research and education, as well as to public display. Plan a full day here in the spring or fall. The Dallas Arboretum has amazing color displays and has developed a cutting edge evaluation program for new plant materials.

The oldest botanic garden in the state of Texas, the Forth Worth Botanic Garden consists of 110 acres within the cultural district of Fort Worth. It features 23 gardens, among them the rose garden, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, a 10,000 sq. ft. conservatory that houses a tropical collection, and the beautiful Japanese Garden. Opened in 1973, the Japanese Garden covers 7 ½ acres of varied topography and includes authentic Japanese architecture, koi ponds, waterfalls, and meticulously-maintained plant material, including a vast assortment of Japanese maples.

This garden is a beautiful treasure in the heart of historic Grapevine – an excellent place to enjoy the natural beauty and tranquil surroundings of nature. This special garden welcomes visitors with hundreds of varieties of plants, extraordinary scents to tantalize, and the therapeutic beauty that a day in the garden provides. The gardens are an ideal location to exercise, hold a wedding or special event and take those special family photos.

This is an all-organic establishment with planting scattered around the grounds. The Homestead Heritage Village is a working farm featuring a herb garden, perennial borders, old roses and vegetable gardens.

Winston Patrick McGregor Park will is at the corner of West Henderson and Colonial Drive. The land, financial gift and house were bequeathed to the City of Cleburne by M. Frank Scott, longtime resident of the City. The 10-acre park is a botanical style park featuring native plants and plants that are suitable for the Cleburne area. The park has walking paths, a pavilion/gazebo, a pond with fountain, children’s garden, memorial grove and a variety of educational and recreational activities. The house, now completely restored, is used for meetings, small receptions, and other gatherings. The gazebo will accommodate concerts, weddings, and other events.

Texas Discovery Gardens and Conservatory is a seven acre arboretum and display garden. It is designed to showcase native plants in an urban environment and teach the conservation of nature. The tropical conservatory doubles during the State Fair as a living butterfly exhibit.

A 289 wildlife sanctuary that is glorious in spring and fall. The museum is beautifully integrated into the beauty of this Texas landscape. The Texas Native Plant Display Garden harbors over 200 plant species, including some seldom seen in public collections, like Texas aloe and the native black cherry.

The Weston Gardens in Bloom is a retail nursery covering seven acres and a display garden covering four acres in the gardens. The gardens feature English-style mixed borders, old roses and native plants.

ABNC was founded in 1974 as a result of efforts begun by an environmental visionary, Armand Yramategui. Armand foresaw the urban growth around Armand Bayou and strove to have this land remain a wilderness. Armand’s tragic death in 1970 inspired a local, regional and national coalition of people and organizations to acquire the 2500 acres of land now preserved as ABNC. ABNC is a non-profit organization that was established with the mission preservation and environmental education.

A 10,000 square feet glass conservatory displaying thousands of tropical plants. The tropics come alive, with a water lily pool full of fantail goldfish, edged by Victorian water lilies from the Amazon, plus foliage and flowering tropical plants of every imaginable description.

Blue Moon Gardens is a six acre cottage garden, greenhouse and retail nursery. The gardens are clustered about a farmhouse that’s nearly a century old and newer buildings that carry out the same style, this is a cottage garden par excellence. Be careful visiting the nursery; it’s easy to get carried away with the wonderful diversity of ornamental plants.

The Arboretum and Botanical Society is a 100 acre nature trail and associated gardens. The property includes an1850s dogtrot house as home to a small museum, a large open-sided pavilion and numerous color gardens.

Right next to the Municipal Rose Garden, the 8,000 square foot IDEA garden offers a tranquil setting, designed for the serious gardener seeking new ideas or for the enjoyment of the casual visitor. The garden features more than 90 varieties of flowers, trees, shrubs, grasses, ground cover and bog plants. Some are new or currently underutilized, but all are adapted to the Northeast Texas area. Also featured are new plant promotions and plants being tested and evaluated for use in our region. All plants will be grown in an environmentally friendly manner using water conserving methods. The IDEA Garden features several composting methods. The IDEA Garden, the Shade Garden, the Sunshine Garden, and the Heritage Rose Garden are all maintained by the Smith County Master Gardeners

This 14-acre complex features several park areas sponsored by a coalition of organizations and the City of Jasper. The original plans for the gardens were designed by horticulturalist Dr. Dave Creech at the request of Estelle Debney, founder of the Jasper Arboretum board, with the support of the Woman’s Civic Club. Sandy Creek runs through the center of the park from Hwy 96 to the scenic stone-arched Main Street bridge. The north bank features formal gardens, children’s Kiwanis Park, and Library Gardens (dry garden, rose garden and butterfly garden). The historic Beaty-Orton House built in 1888 is surrounded by the sunny garden (color plantings and heritage azaleas) and the home itself is filled with period antiques. The house is open for tours by appointment only and may be reserved for special events like weddings and quilt shows. The newest addition to the park is the Master Gardener greenhouse and Outdoor Learning Center. In front of the greenhouse is a pergola with brick patio and swings, a favorite lunchtime stop for downtown Jasper. Behind the greenhouse is a potting shed/classroom overlooking Sandy Creek, where otters sometimes play. Next to the greenhouse is the Butterfly Gardens. During Butterfly Festival (first Saturday in October), a section of the butterfly gardens next to the greenhouse is netted over to be a protected butterfly house where children can get a closer look at the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly. One goal is to raise enough money to build a permanent butterfly house that will be open year-round. Future development on the south bank will include a larger pond with fountains, footbridge over the creek, nature trail with Texas native plants and a log cabin nature center. Both the Jasper Arboretum and Jasper Master grdeners are 501(c)3 non-for-profit organizations.

The Longview Arboretum and Gardens will be located on 28.62 acres of city-owned flood plain land adjacent to the Maude Cobb Convention & Activity Center in Longview, Texas. The mission statement states that the goals of the garden are to enhance the natural beauty of East Texas, preserve and protect the clean air, clean water, good soil, trees and abundance of living plants in the East Texas area; to enhance natural and native habitat with a minimum amount of disruption and intrusion, and to build an entity that will reflect the grace of God and His creation that East Texas citizens can enjoy and help preserve for generations.

The Lovett Pinetum began with Dr. Robert Lovett’s enthusiasm for conifers. On 14 acres near Springfield, Missouri, he began experimenting with planting several different speciesofpine starting in 1970 and continuing through today. In 1997, the Lovett Pinetum was formed as a non profit to continue the further development and management of the collection. The pinetum has grown to 108 acres in Missouri and includes a 43 acre site in Lufkin, Texas. The Pinetum collection includes more than 500 species, varieties, and cultivars of conifers. Visitation is ONLY by appointment.

The McFaddin-Ward House is an estate garden on the grounds of a 1906 Beaux Arts Colonial style house. It is three landscaped blocks including buildings; 40,000 square feet in lawns and 20,000 square feet in garden beds.

A new 23-acre garden in Quitman, Texas, with the crown jewel being the Stinson house. The Stinson House was built in 1869 by James A. Stinson in Pine Mills, Texas–about 15 miles east of Quitman at the intersection of Highway 154 and 312. Ima Hogg was instrumental in having the Stinson House moved to its current site (at the back of the Governor Hogg Park) in 1968. The house has six fireplaces (one in each room). Central air and heat as well as electrical lights have been added. A room off the front porch that is separate from the main house was originally used by the family for workers or travelers to spend the night. That room has been converted to a bathroom. After the house was moved to its current location in 1969, it was owned and operated by the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife. The house served as a museum and housed Hogg family furniture for several years until the museum was closed due to lack of funding. The house then sat empty and unused for a number of years until it was finally incorporated into the Arboretum in October of 2009.

The Municipal Rose Garden is fourteen acres dedicated for public display and research. The garden has some 38,000 to 40,000 specimens of more than 500 varieties, mostly modern. The is one of the largest collection of roses open to the public in the whole world.

Located on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, SFA Gardens includes the SFA Mast Arboretum, Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden, Pineywoods Native Plant Center and the Gayla Mize Garden. Each of the gardens offers a unique outdoor experience. From a vast and diverse collection of rare plants from around the world, to Texas’ largest azalea garden, to gardens and nature trails dedicated solely to native plants, and a new network of hiking and biking trails. The SFA Gardens serve to promote plant diversity in the landscape while serving as a living laboratory for SFA students, faculty and the nursery and landscape industry. SFA Mast Arboretum was established in 1985, the Mast Arboretum is 10 acres built entirely around themes and is used as display gardens for research and education. A green laboratory and a cornucopia of diversity, this garden serves as a teaching tool for the Horticulture program and is a must-see garden stop for visitors to Nacogdoches, the oldest town in Texas. The Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden – over eight acres, 7000 azalea plants (500 varieties), 200-plus varieties of Japanese maples, 200-plus camellia varieties, 200 Hydrangea varieties, and much, much more, this garden encompasses forty beds and over 1.2 miles of walking trails. SFA’s Pineywoods Native Plant Center is the third garden in the USA affiliated with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center with a mission to display a wide range of plants native to the Pineywoods. With over 2.2 miles of all-season trails and forty acres, this garden is a remarkable island in the middle of a busy city. Finally, the Gayla Mize Garden is eight acres initiated in 2010 and is part of the 68 acres of the SFA Recreational Trails and Gardens with a focus on deciduous azaleas, their hybrids and wide ranging collection of trees and shrubs in our never-ending trials to find plants with promise.

Nestled within 252 acres in the heart of Orange, Texas, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is a program of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, a private foundation whose mission is to improve and enrich the quality of life in Southeast Texas and encourage and assist education. The unique ecosystem of Shangri La presents an ideal opportunity to further that mission as well as carry on the vision of H.J Lutcher Stark, the man who originally developed it more than 60 years ago. The formal Botanical Gardens contain more than 300 plant species in five formal “rooms” as well as four sculpture “rooms.” Adjacent to the Botanical Gardens is a bird blind which allows visitors to observe nesting birds in Shangri La’s heronry. The Nature Center includes a hands-on exhibit called the Nature Discovery Center, a laboratory, and three outdoor classrooms located deep in the cypress swamp. The Orientation Center includes an Exhibit Hall, Discovery Theater, Children’s Garden, Exhibition Greenhouses, Café, and Garden Store. Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is the first project in Texas and the 50th project in the world to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum certification for LEED®-NC, which verifies the design and construction of Shangri La reached the highest green building and performance measures. As one of the most earth-friendly projects in the world, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center offers a glimpse of how people can live in harmony with nature. The combination of gardens and nature at Shangri La presents a serene oasis for retreat and renewal, as well as the opportunity to explore, discover and learn. Visit Shangri La and rekindle your sense of wonder.

The Gardens at Texas A&M University are envisioned as a place of beauty, a peaceful sanctuary on campus, and a place where everyone at Texas A&M and the surrounding community can relax, enjoy and learn simultaneously. The Gardens project will restore, preserve, and develop nearly 40 acres riparian way into an aesthetic, functional public garden to conduct formal teaching, research and extension/outreach activities. The Gardens will serve as an outdoor classroom for faculty and staff to teach students and the public valuable concepts about food production, landscape beauty and the natural environment. Construction began in June 2016 on the 7 ½ acre Leach Teaching Gardens that will serve as an outdoor teaching, education, and demonstration venue centered on garden design, installation and management. The Leach Teaching Gardens expected to be completed in the spring of 2018 will contain a collection of thematic gardens focused on: vegetable and food production; butterfly, bee and bird gardens; Earth-Kind® techniques and Texas Superstar® plants; student-designed and constructed rotating gardens; our garden heritage; and more.

10,000 Hwy 50, 7561 East Evans Rd, Independence, TX 77833; Phone: 979-836-5548 and the FAX is 979-836-7236 and in San Antonio, TX 78266 the phone is 210-651-4565 and the FAX is 210-651-4569; Open in Independence Mon-Sat 9am-5:30pm and Sun 1:30am-5:30pm – and in San Antonio Mon-Sat 9am-5:30pm and Sunday 11:00am-5:30pm

With two locations, visitors can wander through an amazing nursery and garden displays that features pass-along plants, proven performers and a plethora of own-root antique roses. Heirloom gardening at its finest.

Bend of the River Botanic Garden will provide Central Texas with a natural space for learning, research, cultural enrichment, and leisure activities. The 90 acre Garden site will offer venues for public and private events, opportunities to improve health and wellness in a natural setting, cultural and educational programming and research, and serve as a destination for the enjoyment of nature and outdoor recreation. The Master Plan will be finalized in early 2017 with a capital campaign to follow.

As a wildflower center perfectly adapted to its environment, this display garden educates the public in the use and utility of regional plants. The garden consists of many small cultivated beds, including 23 theme gardens, and several miles of trails through the wonderful Hill country of Texas.

Nestled in the rolling hills of Woodway, Texas you will find quaint pocket gardens and a rustic nature trails throughout this 16 acre facility. The Carleen Bright Arboretum celebrates and shares the distinct beauty of gardens and natural environments in Central Texas; it is a year-round focus for community life.

Several paths take you through the garden to discover over 130 sculptures by Charles Umlauf, an internationally recognized sculptor. Sculptures range from detailed realism to lyrical abstractions. Family groups, animals, religious and mythological figures, and nudes are featured in the collection. The figures are crafted from wood, terra cotta, stone, bronze, and marble. This serene and shady spot is wonderful for escaping the Austin summer heat while still communing with nature and art. A stream runs through the garden, forming small pools at various spots. Both the museum and the garden are accessible to people with disabilities.

Wildseed Farms is a two hundred acre working farm and display garden set up to give visitors a close-up view of some of the crops. It is a world leader in producing wildflower seeds. It includes 70 acres of bluebonnets as well as trails through the growing areas and beside sizeable display beds.

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve was founded in 1974 to protect 227 acres of pristine Texas Hill Country and to provide nature education programs. Visitors enjoy 2 1/2 miles of hiking trails that pass through woodland, grassland, and streamside habitats. These habitats are home to threatened and endangered species, and hundreds of native plants, animals and birds. Wild Basin’s nature education programs are funded by special events, memberships, corporate donations and grants.

The Civic League Park is located at 24 South Park Street, between Beauregard and Harris Street.

In 1988, Ken Landon joined hands with city officials to create a lily pool at Civic League Park. The neglected pond, built in 1934, as a reflection pool, was a gooey bog when then city parks director, Jimmy Rogers asked city council members to approve an “Aquatic Beautification Project.” After receiving the go-ahead, the two men and members of the San Angelo Council of Garden Clubs rolled up their sleeves and set to work. Soon, thousands of people were flocking to the park to look at the lilies. September and early October are the “Spring time” of flowering for lilies. However, something is always blooming in the collection April through October. The spotlights are turned on the night bloomers, and the park is also well lit and safe.

Zilker Botanical Garden is located on 26 acres in the heart of Austin in Zilker Park. Beautiful theme gardens include rose, herb, daylily, iris, fern, and azalea collections as well as the native Green, Taniguchi Japanese, Hartman Prehistoric, and Butterfly Gardens.

The Butterfly Center in a three-story, cone-shaped glass conservatory. It was built and is maintained especially as a living exhibit of butterflies. The conservatory bloomed an Amorphophallus titanium in 2010, which was a signature event and greatly increased attendance.

Hilltop Gardens is 25 acre tropical healing garden that is surrounded by a 500 acre organic farm. Hilltop Gardens is located in the Rio Grande Valley.

Hilltop Gardens, the historical home of Aloe, is far from the sounds, lights, and energy of the city. It is a place to experience nature….a place to enjoy…. a place to learn….and a place to revitalize your mind, body and spirit with activities that focus on the restoration, nourishment, and preservation of an environment that promotes wellness. The concept of the gardens is based on the healing power of aloe and has been designed as a respite from the hectic world. It’s a place where our visitors can learn, explore and experience nature. It’s a place that promotes wellness of mind, body and spirit. The gardens are surrounded by a 500 acre experimental farm, a 12 month operation that grows premium quality crops. The farm is certified both organic and global GAP (Good Agricultural Practices).

The future site of the Houston Botanic Garden is a 120-acre site with a mature tree canopy located on Sims Bayou. The natural oxbow and the channel create an island that, along with the southern gardens across Sims, will host a variety of collection and display gardens, event spaces, educational exhibits, and research facilities. The Houston Botanic Garden strives to enrich life through discovery, education, and the conservation of plants and the natural environment.

This is a Japanese-style garden, with large lily pond and lush semitropical planting. Contains many more flowering plants than most gardens of this type, incorporating native perennials and colorful annuals throughout. This site is designated as a Texas Civil Engineering Landmark and a Registered Texas Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A ten story glass conservatory, re-creating conditions in the world’s rain forests. It is home to thousands of flora and fauna. The conservatory includes plants, fish, butterflies, birds, bats, and insects from American, Asian, and African rain forest.

This botanical garden is planted and maintained for the purposes of education and research, as well as the conservation and display of plants from around the world. Includes a conservatory, display gardens, formal beds and native planting. The garden covers thirty-three acres.

This is a five acre wholesale and retail nursery. Thousands upon thousands of desert plants live and thrive in this natural rock garden setting, representing about 2,000 different kinds of cacti. The gardeners propagate them on site, thus preserving rare and endangered species. Harry passed away June 4, 2010 and we are not sure of the status of his amazing collection. No link to a website specific for this garden but I’ve included a description. Needs checking.

A four acre garden designed to provide horticultural education for the region. It includes display gardens, a conservatory, a gallery for exhibitions, classrooms and a 1,600 volume library, making it a valuable resource for the community.

A two acre teaching and research garden open to the public for both formal and informal education in the use of native plants in the low-water landscape. This assemblage of 430 species is one of the largest collections of Chihuahuan Desert plants in the world.

A demonstration xeriscape garden, using plants native to the Chihuahuan Desert, as well as other arid regions, for research and education. The High Desert Cactus Garden is outstanding. I’m not sure of the status of this garden.

Our goal for a grape vineyard at the SFA Gardens is rather simple. We want to plant and evaluate as many muscadine grapes as possible. We have a perfect bottomland spot in the Jimmy Hinds Park. This stellar native, Vitis rotundifolia, has a lot going for it.

Before you stick up your nose in the air and say something undignified, please hear me out. Give this southern fruit a chance. First, let’s remember that muscadine grapes are native to the Gulf South. They are resistant to Pierce’s disease and other maladies that affect their more sophisticated cousins. You can eat them out of hand and share them with the wildlife that like them about as much as we do. The fruit can be green, bronze, purple or black, depending on the variety. Well tended vineyards can produce 8 to 18 tons per acre! They live a long, long time and can swallow your home and your barn if you leave for a decade or two. Of course, there are negatives. Let’s face it, muscadine wine is not taking home the red ribbon at the enology events. Most are thick skinned a bit seedy. The fruit ripens unevenly so grapes are normally picked one at a time and not as a cluster. the vines can be either pistillate or self-fertile so a pollinator may be required. While muscadine wine enthusiasts in the South, swear by the foxy and robust flavors, others see this Southern relative as unrefined, callous and not worthy of discussion. Muscadine discrimination is what I call it.

This new planting is located at the north end of the Pineywoods Native Plant Center at Jimmy Hinds Park. Jimmy Hinds was the first Agriculture teacher at Stephen F. Austin State University and actually farmed with students where this planting now calls home. Jimmy had a penchant for fruit trees and vines, vegetable gardens and he is considered as the father of modern poultry farming in East Texas. The effort to create the collection led our program to collaborate with Dr. Justin Scheiner, grape viticulturist at TAMU, College Station, Texas – and one of our former students. It’s that full circle again. Working with Justin, other universities and a few specialty nurseries we’ve reached 54 varieties of muscadine grapes in the collection. They are cheerful in the bottomland soils of LaNana creek. Because of space issues, only one plant per variety is planted, and again, every plant is labeled.

What’s exciting is there are new varieties emerging all the time. Breeders are focusing on thinner skins and the ability to pick a “cluster” rather than individual grapes. Eudora is a recent USDA release by Stephen Stringer that produces a small cluster of high quality grapes. ‘Southern Jewel’ is a University of Florida release, a black, self-fertile muscadine that produces grapes on clusters It’s one we have yet to bring into the collection. We are still on the hunt for Loomis, Doreen, Golden Isles, Regale, Sterling, Magoon and African Queen. Vitis X ‘Razzmatazz’ is so new we’re not sure what to say other than it’s gotten tremendous promotion. In fact, the first vines were sold by mail order nurseries for $99 each. Ouch. It’s a Jeff Bloodworth creation and I think it’s actually 1/2 Vinifera and 1/2 Muscadine? It’s continuous flowering, seedless (!) and produces grapes from August until frost. It’s a fascinating plant and flowers may need to be pruned away to prevent overbearing and the vine becoming unthrifty. Tasty!

Vitis X ‘Razzmatazz’

Ison’s Nursery has been at the forefront of spreading new clones here and there. The University of Georgia and University of Florida have made significant introductions. Stephen Stringer, USDA Poplarville, Mississippi has introduced some and we are blessed with a number of his advanced selections in our trials. While mailorder is about the only way to get many of the uncommon types, there are plenty of local retail nurseries that carry a variety or two. Here’s our current list of varieties in our planting.

Grape varieties in the collection 03-16-2017

As for pruning and training, there are plenty of fact sheets on the web that describe the ins and outs of pruning muscadines. There are a myriad of ways to train muscadines. We have chosen to go with a three wire system with plants about 20′ apart on rows 15′ apart. In our system, the cross arms are at 5’6″ which is perhaps a bit shorter than the average Texan but gives kids in the SFA Gardens Educational Program a chance for an easier harvest. Vines should be trained to a single trunk to simplify care and culture.

Insects and diseases have not been a problem but wasp nests can be an issue. Snakes often enjoy perching on the branches to grab a bird or two. Deer are a horrific problem for young plants and in our case we are putting a chicken wire tube around the developing plant. We don’t like this but this is state property and even though our campus is concealed carry, we can’t take care of the problem the Texas way.

I’ll close with a little story here. Back in the 1980s, I used to have a peach orchard on Highway 7 near Center, Texas. “Creech’s Peaches” sat in a good spot for a roadside market. While the 3500 peach trees was the focus, I did have other fruits and I farmed and swapped a few vegetables. A dozen persimmons, that many pears, and a small 30-vine single trellis wire muscadine vineyard with 15 varieties planted was just a part of the mix. When the muscadine were ripe starting in September, I would eat them every day for about a month, share them with friends and also sell a few hundred lbs. on the Houston market via my broker. One year, I picked more than 800 lbs., packed them and set them in the cooler at the peach shed and called my broker who said she’d pick them up the next morning on her way to Houston. I kind of forgot about them until a few weeks later I noticed a strong fragrance in the air near the barn. When I opened the door to the cooler, I realized that the grapes were still there and the crates rumbling, rocking and rolling. It was a fermentation party. I called a old timer who ran a famous poultry and hardware supply store in town and told him my problem. “That’s no problem, bring them to me.” Well, I loaded them up in my truck and he had me back up to a barn across the road. A couple of fifty five gallon drums had been cleaned and we’re ready to go. There were some friends working a big gunny sack of potatoes into slices. The grapes were dumped into the drum, along with the potatoes and some other “important stuff”. The drums were covered and kind of sealed. For the next few weeks you could smell the store before you got there. I got a call a month or so later and was invited to a tasting. The wine (?) had been bottled and it was a bronzy muddy mixture and if you let sit, the sediment piled up in the bottom of the bottle. That’s the “good stuff” I learned. I also learned we needed to share the bottles with friends because our product would go bad pretty quick. I was thinking, gee, it’s already kind of bad. How bad can it get? Still, it was a good evening. There weren’t any hallucinations. While my knees were a little weak, no jake leg symptoms developed and I left cheerful that the grapes were not wasted.

The best time to visit the vineyard at the Jimmy Hinds Park would be mid-September to near frost. We don’t have a plan to market the fruit. We intend to share it with our visitors, school age kids, faculty and staff. Come and visit!

Figs are old, odd and other worldly. It’s a big genus. Depending on your source, there are 1000+ Ficus species. Figs around humans are an old story and predate the fossil record of wheat, barley and rye. Enthusiasts think they are the first record of Agriculture. The worst of this lot are convinced that it was a fig that Eve used to seduce Adam, not an apple. After all, apples weren’t common in the ancient paths near Jericho. Figs were. Shouldn’t we all agree that Eve and Adam covered their shame with fig leaves?

Fig Variety Plots at SFA Gardens

Most figs are tropical jungle plants but some edge their way into territories that facing freezing temperatures. In the modern world, they are common as houseplants. From giant banyan trees of Asia to houseplant staples to small leafed groundcovers, Ficus wins. Only two species might be considered major food crops. Ficus sycomoro (a long term fail at SFA Gardens), and then there’s F. carica (the common edible fig).

TYPES OF FIGS:

Figs are complicated. The fruit we eat is actually a flower inside a structure called a syconium with male flowers above the female with pollen spread by a wasp who enters the structure through a hole called an ostiole.

Caducous — Smyrna figs: Need to be pollinated to mature fruit. Without pollination the fruit will drop before it matures. Smyrna figs must be grown in the presence of Caprifigs and pollinating insects to bear fruit.

Intermediate — San Pedro figs: Do not need to be pollinated to set a breba (first) crop but do need pollination to set the main crop.

Persistent — common figs: Do not need to be pollinated to bear fruit. This is what is referred to as the common garden fig.

VARIETIES – SFA Gardens is in the early stages of a large variety trial. We are working with Allen Owings at the LSU Hammond station to create a duplicate germplasm repository of varieties and to evaluate their performance over many years.

PLANTING – Choose a well drained site. Spacing at not less than 16’ apart – can have various configurations. While figs appreciate moist soil, waterlogged conditions are not good. A surface or subsurface drainage system, berms or raised beds may be a good idea. Plant in the early spring in East Texas. We like to plant big healthy one to three gallon plants . After planting, mulch lightly with pine bark, straw or other matierials.

.IRRIGATION – Critical to good plant growth in most sites. We use daily drip, one emitter per plant on young plants, multiples on older plants. Ours are ½ gph emitters and a couple of hours per day and off on rain days.

FERTILIZATION – In most soils, a complete fertilizer spread lightly every month or two in a circle around the plant, and well away from the crown of the plant is prudent. Young plants respond to Nitrogen. Soil tests will indicate the need for P, K or other elements.

PRUNING – We lean to a minimalist approach. Very little pruning except to remove dead wood perhaps to cut back low hangers and on the ground branching which we do to have an unobstructed view of the base of the plant – for chemical weed control applications, mainly.

DISEASES/INSECTS – Very sandy well drained soils may be a nematode problem. In some years, rust can be difficult. Birds, critters and friends can take out a crop quick.

PROPAGATION – Easy by cuttings. June July and Aug cuttings under mist root quickly. Hardwood cuttings stuck in well drained circumstances and kept moist root well most winters. I used to tell students that if they couldn’t root a fig they needed to change majors.

FREEZE PROTECTION – Hard winter freezes are the big problem. Single digit events can take figs back to or near the ground. The main problem is with young plants. If just a few trees, packing mulch, pinestraw, and any other insulating materials into a ring around the tree helps. When spring arrives, pull the straw back and pray for a bud to break. It usually will. Homeowners can position trees on the South side of heated buildings to get some relief from low temps.